Putting It All Together

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Home Decor

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In just under three weeks we will be in our new home! The anticipation has my brain in overdrive with possible paint colors, furniture placement, and landscaping. I attribute my tendency to pre-plan these items on my life-long exposure to home décor magazines. While a lot of girls were busy planning their dream wedding, I was drawing floor plans of my dream home. That being said, Roscoe has put in his own color scheme request for his room: green, blue, and yellow (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!).

Other than colors, the only other thing that’s for certain is he wants a loft bed with mattress on top, play area on bottom. I put together a mood board (that’s normal right?) for him with a possible idea for how it could all work. The most expensive item is the bed (Pottery Barn Kids) at $2,000. The good news on that front is Aaron has agreed he can easily build this if I paint it. For a savings of $1,800? Consider it done!

Fan: Eurostyle Fan ($219)
Map Wall Mural: Target ($80)
Hanging Seat: Joki Hanging Crow Seat ($115)
Bed: Pottery Barn Kids ($1,999)
Bedding: Land of Nod (~$175)
5 x 8 Seagrass Rug: Ikea ($100)
Faux Fur Bean Bag Chair: Pottery Barn Kids ($139)

Homeward Bound

17 Friday May 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Family

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Blue Crab Festival

I have noticed that despite living away from my hometown for over 12 years, I still refer to it as “home”. There is something comforting about returning to a place full of memories and- luckily for me- people whom hospitality is second nature. The kids and I are headed back to Little River for the annual Blue Crab Festival which we will be enjoying in the company of my sister, niece, and mom. I for one am looking forward to getting elbow deep in blue crab (so delicious covered in Old Bay) and spending time with the folks who mean the most to me. Hope to see you there!

The Patch Trend

15 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Home Decor, Uncategorized

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patchwork, patchwork furntiure

Has anyone else noticed the increasing prevalence of patchwork in home decorating magazines? I for one am not complaining and in fact love this trend, even if I am about a year late on noticing it. I am all for the “what’s old is new” approach, particularly with something that’s so cheery and colorful. Here are a few of my favorite examples I have come across:

(Courtesy of Squint Limited) patchwork ottoman squint fabric

(Courtesy of Squint Limited)

(Courtesy of Ciel)

(Courtesy of Not On the High Street- by Bryonie Porter)

Even rugs and walls are getting in on the action!

(Courtesty of Weiss House)

(Courtesy of House to Home- UK)

For more patchwork fabulousness, check out Squint Limited for some great ideas and products.

Counter(top) Offer

13 Monday May 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Home Decor, Uncategorized

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countertop material, kitchen counter

We haven’t even moved into our new home yet, but we know that renovating the kitchen is our first order of business. The cabinets are warped from past water damage making them both dysfunctional and ugly. The floor plan itself is tight and doesn’t maximize an already small space. Aaron and I have been bouncing possible ideas, layouts, and materials off each other for the last two weeks- trying to come up with a game plan so we can hit the ground running when we do move in.

Our ultimate goal is to create a concept where everything works together cohesively while amping up the resale value. The struggle is how do you create a beautiful kitchen while staying within a relatively tiny budget? The kitchen of our dreams would easily run us in the $35,000 range. Realistically, we are looking to invest roughly $10,000. Luckily, we can do a lot of work ourselves and cut out labor costs from the equation. Unfortunately, there are some items that aren’t negotiable in terms of cost….like countertops.

Whether we install them ourselves or not, the per square foot for a lot of what we like is still going to be high. The materials we like best- marble, soapstone, concrete, glass, zinc- are all going to be anywhere from $35-$100 per sq/ft.

Carerra Marble

Glass Countertops (My Personal Favorite!)

Concrete Countertop

Soapstone Countertop

Zinc Countertop

I guess the only question remaining then is which do we like best? In an attempt to solve this dilemma I did a little online research and did find some helpful articles (links below).

Kitchen Countertops 101: Choosing a Surface Material

Eco-Friendly Countertop Materials

What material we ultimately pick is largely dependent on how it works with everything else. Here’s what we’re considering in the other categories:

Flooring: terra cotta tile, reclaimed pine, cork

Bottom Cabinets: shaker door style either painted or left natural. If painted, glazed or high-gloss?

Upper Cabinets: open shelves in place of uppers? If uppers, then horizontal or vertical door open?

Tile Backsplash: white subway, glass, or none at all

Obviously, this conundrum of ours isn’t of huge significance in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, you can rest assure that when we do decide the game plan you will be given plenty of updates!

Branding

10 Friday May 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Creativity

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branding, creating a package label

Getting labelled isn’t always a bad thing.

Aaron and I love doing our etsy shop, but one thing that we have been contemplating with increasing focus is our labeling/packaging. We recognize the need and benefits of a defined, attractive brand image- we just haven’t mastered the who, what, why, where, how of it all yet.

Enter in a bit of internet research and- wah-lah!- we now have a better understanding of what we need to do to achieve our goal. Here are some of the tips that 1) came up most frequently and 2) I felt made the most sense:

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

When creating your basic label design think holistically. How does the package work together as a whole? Is the color of the container/package complimented by the label? Several tools that make this whole complimentary color thing a cinch:

Adobe Kuler (kuler.adobe.com)
ColourLovers (www.colourlovers.com)
ColorBlender (www.colorblender.com)

Readability

From what I’ve read, you have only a small window of opportunity to grab a shopper’s attention (~2-3 seconds). You should have your brand or company name as well as two or three words describing the product in large enough type that it can be read from six feet away.

Label

The label you create should complement the packaging, container, item itself. A quick trip to Office Depot reveals your most common choices of white, clear, or off-white. You can also choose different shapes (round, square, rectangle) and finishes (matte, glossy). Keep in mind that different textures and finishes affect the message conveyed. For instance, a textured matte cream label extends a high-end an “expensive” appearance to your item.

Customization

A good label design will allow flexibility in terms of modifying the label to work for a variety of products. By changing the font color and/or keeping the same design but changing words you can use the same label for an entire product line. This promotes brand recognition and continuity.

Font

I personally love sites like dafont.com where you can download great fonts for free and/or with a small donation to the font creator. This particular sight is my go-to for eye-catching, unique fonts that go a long way in creating an eye-catching label.\

Taking all this advice into consideration, here’s how are basic label has progressed. Still needs works, but it’s come a long way baby!

Want some extra inspiration? Check out this blog post featuring 25 effective (and good-looking) product labels.

http://blog.uprinting.com/25-product-label-design-inspiration/

New Obsession

09 Thursday May 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Uncategorized

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graphic wallpaper, modern wallpaper

I love good design. It’s true that my income doesn’t afford me the luxury to afford most of what I love, however with a little ingenuity, creativity, and sweat equity I firmly believe you can develop some semblance of what you love in your own home. Call that belief willful ignorance or bloated confidence, but it is a philosophy I embrace and my wallet appreciates. Soapbox aside, I have to share my latest obsession: wallpaper.

I have noticed that over the last several years wallpaper has seen a re-emergence in popularity, helped by an influx of smart prints in unexpected color schemes. Here are a few of my favorites I have come across lately:

Fornasetti’s “Acquario”

Piet Eek Hein’s Scrapwood Wallpapers

Love this Pottok Whale wallpaper!

This textured herringone wallpaper is by Patent Decor.

A lot of these wallpapers would work best in a small room or on one accent wall since they are such visually strong prints. I also love it on the ceiling, but you have to have arms of steel or professional help to master this type of project.

When we move into our new house in June I will be sure to find some wall, powder room, and/or ceiling to satisfy my wallpaper craving, but until then…I will just have to live vicariously through pinterest and decor glossies!

Like Butta’ Baby

25 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Food

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homemade butter

I don’t use a lot of butter when cooking, instead favoring olive oil when possible. That is until I discovered how ridiculously easy it is to make your own butter. Since I made my first batch a week ago, I have been buttering things like crazy. Maybe not good for the ole’ arteries, but certainly a tasty new habit. So how do you make your own butter? Here’s the break down. First you are going to need either a food processor (like I used) or a blender. Secondly, you will either need unpasteurized milk or heavy cream (I used heavy cream).

Pour your heavy cream or milk into your food processor or blender and turn on. Leave it for about 8 minutes, or until your curd has seperate from your whey. Your cream/milk will now look like butter. Pour out the water. Add 1 cup of ice cold water. Blend for 1 minute. Pour out water and that’s it! You now have butter. At this point you can add herbs, salt, pepper, or whatever else you want to flavor the creamy goodness. Enjoy!

Feeling Blue

21 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Home Decor

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turquoise

I guess I shouldn’t say I am feeling “blue”, so much as turquoise (admittedly my favorite color family). And it’s not melancholy I am feeling, but rather relief that I finally got around to painting the upstairs landing. Using the same paint I used in the kitchen, I went to town refreshing the walls and nook surrounding the staircase. If you like the color and want to know what it is- sorry- you are out of luck. It’s the result of mixing three different paints together and the good folks at Sherwin Williams had a doozy of a time trying to color match it (spending over an hour trying to get it right). Here’s a quick look at the landing before, though these photos don’t do justice to how bland and worn everything was.

And here’s what it looks like now. Much more refreshing if I do say so myself!

I don’t claim that a new coat of paint resulted in an earth shattering, rivetting change, but it does look good (you’ll just have to take my word for it). So what’s on the project docket now? Repainting the back porch and Roscoe’s room. I am simply waiting on 1) the temperature to warm up and 2) some free time. Fingers crossed the stars align and both happen soon.

Spring Fever

17 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Food

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home vegetable garden, small space gardening

It has been a mild winter so far and I have to admit I am surprised by the call for snow tomorrow (though it is unlikely to stick). That being the case, I feel indulgent pining away for Spring particularly when I actually like Winter. I blame my seasonal lust on the recent 70 degree teaser days- those will push any sane person to pine for longer days, blue skies, and warm sun. It’s hence no wonder my mind is already contemplating our vegetable garden and general landscaping plan. One thing working for me is that I have at least already ordered and received my seeds from Annie’s Heirloom Seeds. I opted for kale, numerous tomato varieites, sunflowers, brussel sprouts, peppers, and a host of other possibilities for tasty goodness. Now it is time to turn my attention to where I am going to plant.

Our house has a tiny yard- VERY tiny. While this is great when others are out mowing on a hot day, it is not so wonderful when you yearn for a garden that could feed the neighborhood. This is where the joys and wonders of the internet come into play. A quick image search and- wah lah!- scores of ideas that are waiting for Aaron to construct (won’t he be thrilled!). Here are some of the ones I liked the best:

(Courtesy of Apartment Therapy)

(Courtesy of Sunset Magazine)

(Courtesy Imgfave.com)

Forgot where this came from…but I do really like the baskets!

Very inventive upcycling.

The good news after all this internet scouring is that I have a hefty dose of inspiration. The only bad news is now I need to find the time to get this all done! I suppose where there’s a will there is a way.

Going Green

14 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by Mrs. Porch & Tea in Food

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green beans, home coffee roasting

If you thought that today’s post would be about reducing your waste/energy consumption then plan to be disappointed. Rather, today’s snapshot into our daily life is about coffee- more specifically roasting your own beans. We are- admittedly- coffee snobs. Though Aaron is a later-in-life convert to the joys of java, together we are quite picky about our roasts. Over time we’ve foregone drip coffee in favor of a french press, then made the move from ground to whole bean. As the logical next step we have now entered the realm of the”Roast Your Own” set.

We cannot take full credit for this new venture as that honor lies with a home inspector of all folks. As a step of switching our insurance we had to have our home inspected. The gentleman who came knocking happened to be a coffee connoisseur who does the whole self-roasting bit. He gave me a quick tutorial and some leads about what roaster to get (a popcorn poppper!) and where to get the green beans. Within 30 minutes of him leaving I had the items purchased and on their way. I purchased the Stir Crazy popcorn popper since it continually stirs the beans and prevents uneven burning. For the beans, I went to happymugscoffee.com and got the 8 lb sampler pack.

When everything arrived a few days ago we were anxious to get started. Our first roast was too light, our second just perfect- though we didn’t like the flavor of the bean itself (this Guatemala variety was just too fruity for our taste). The good news is we have 7 other varieties to try.

So why do this when our free time is already on short supply? I suppose the novelty of DIY runs deep in our veins, but it’s also the thrill of learning something new. Furthermore, customizing something to suit your own tastes is attractive versus settling for an off-the-shelf selection. So have I piqued your interest? If so, here are a few tips:

1) Roast your beans outside. Roasting the green beans emits a smell akin to burned rubber. Not something you want permeating your home.

2) This takes practice! We roasted three times before we found a roasting time that worked. Of course, we’ll have to go through this process with every variety we try. Every bean tastes different and the roasting time(s) that works is largely dependent on what appeals to your taste buds.

3) Research! There are a lot of great online forums that provide solid advice on roasting your own beans.

4) There is no one “right” way to roast your beans. Some folks roast them in their oven, others on their grill, and still others invest in super fancy, professional roasters. My advice is start small (the Stir Crazy is only $30) to determine if this is something you will enjoy doing. No point investing your funds in something that you may end up abandoning.

5) Have fun!